Kevin Pietersen has admitted he fears for the future of Test cricket because of falling attendances in the rest of the world. However, England's leading batsman denied that he would take advantage of the rise of Twenty20 to ignore central contracts and go freelance.

"I fear for Test match cricket simply because people are not supporting it as much as it gets supported here in England," Pietersen, who is out of the Ashes series because of injury, said in an interview with Sky Sports.

"In England we are so fortunate to play in front of full crowds all day every day. There's no other country that plays in front of full Test match crowds every day. When we go to play Australia in Australia we get full houses. I watched the South Africa series in Australia very closely because obviously we're playing them now, and you don't get full houses there. You look at the series in South Africa when Australia were there and 3, 4, 5,000 people were watching a day of Test cricket.

"And that for me shows people are now staying away from Tests to watch the Twenty20 format, which is pulling in everybody. That's the thing that frightens me because as soon as the support goes and the spectators go, it's going to be difficult to keep playing Tests. And players are going to be wanting to play the game where you get all the support."

But Pietersen dismissed speculation that leading cricketers, including himself, could soon take control of how and where they play their cricket by going freelance.

"I've played 54 Test matches for England and I've been very fortunate to have played 54 injury-free Test matches. I have a little break now for six weeks and then I've said to myself and said to my family I'm gonna try to give another five-, six-year full stint to England which I love doing and I want to do.

"I'm using this gap like a middle marker in my career to have this little break, get myself fully fit by the time I return and then continue from where I left off. I know there will be no freelance cricketer in me for years to come. I will be firmly playing for England. Test cricket is my favourite game and that's something I want to continue doing for a long time."

"We don't have many Tests next year, but I am thinking that next year's series against West Indies will be my last two Test matches," the Sri Lankan with 770 Test wickets said.

Muralitharan, 37, has been warned by surgeons that he faces long-term pain from a knee injury and the off-spinner said his body could not cope with five-day matches for much longer. "The doctors told me I have to go through the pain and train harder because an operation will mean me being out for six to seven months," he said. "They think I'll be able to play for one to two years and told me to have the operation when I finish playing. That means my career is almost over and I am not going to play for long."

However, Muralitharan plans to carry on in the shorter forms of the sport. "I still want to play on if I can to the 2011 World Cup and I will enjoy playing Twenty20 for a few more years if I can."